What do you think about pools by the sea? Some of us here at the Hotel Guru think they’re a fantastic addition to a seaside hotel, and that the very best seaside hotels have both indoor and outdoor pools, but some of us think they’re a bit superfluous, and could be a tennis court or hot tub instead. It turns out that choosing our favourite Devon hotels with pools has brought this discrepancy to light and caused much discussion of the pros and cons.
But these sorts of discussions only make our recommendations better! From one camp we’ve drawn some of Devon’s Best Hotel Pools with a View, and from the other we’ve received a great list of fantastic Devon hotels with pools which are in some of Devon’s prime inland spots, like Dartmoor, offering views over the moors rather than the ocean. In the end our recommendations for 17 great Devon hotels with pools includes some lovely B&Bs as well, and some fantastic hotels with self-catering options perfect for families, as well as the luxurious Devon spa hotels we assumed we’d come out with.
For a hotel pool with a view
- With ocean views from both its indoor pool and outdoor pool, Gara Rock is a fantastic choice if a pool is at the top of your list of priorities for your Devon hotel. The location, on a hilltop just back from the beach in East Portlemouth, is idyllic and peaceful, and the views are panoramic. There are 12 choices when it comes to where you sleep, ranging from rooms to suites to family-friendly self-catering cottages. All have large windows and are stylishly decorated with modern rustic/industrial accents and a bohemian feel. The restaurant is well regarded, as is the spa.
- The Saunton Sands Hotel’s pool is similarly perched on top of a grassy plateau above a golden sandy beach, so it’s just like you’re on the beach but without the sand getting into your bathers. This 95 room hotel is perfect for families, with that quintessential seaside feel and white paint, and there’s plenty of choice when it comes to room configurations, with the possibility of connecting rooms, family suites or apartments. There are great facilities onsite too, with a heated indoor pool a part of the comprehensive spa. There’s also a supervised playroom and tennis courts.
Hotels with Indoor and Outdoor Pools
- Like Gara Rock, the Sidmouth Harbour Hotel has two pools: a long, narrow outdoor pool perfect for laps or reclining beside, occasionally trailing a foot into, and a broader, shallower indoor pool which is part of the spoiling spa complex, and has floor to ceiling windows at one end. The location is excellent, on the edge of the Jurassic Coast, and the hotel has 57 rooms and suites, plus a restaurant serving British classics. Perfect for a coastal escape.
Some of Devon’s Most Romantic Hotels with Pools
- Boringdon Hall Hotel is a five star castle-cum-country house hotel and spa on the fringes of Dartmoor National Park. It offers the romance of a castle: with huge ceilings, impressive windows and great stone fireplaces, four-poster beds and grand free standing baths; and the comfort of a more contemporary property, what with the state-of-the-art Gaia spa, hot tubs in some of the rooms, and the innovative restaurant. The pool is indoor, but with huge glass windows that offer the benefits of outdoors without the actual weather. Adults only.
- Northcote Manor offers an escape to the Devon countryside, in a charming, Victorian country house hotel. For peace and the simple pleasure of beautiful grounds, rural views and good food, Northcote is perfect. Converted from a rambling manor house, the hotel’s 16 rooms are a varied lot when it comes to outlook and size, so you might want to be specific when you book. There’s a good choice of relaxed public spaces, and a slightly old-fashioned air to the place, but a cosy welcome. The pool is indoor in the separate luxury, and very contemporary, spa.
- Set in acres of beautiful countryside on the slopes of Dartmoor, Bovey Castle is grand and castle-y enough for the name, but in an 18th century rather than medieval sense, which arguably make its 64 rooms and suites, and 22 self-catering lodges, more comfortable to stay in. And comfort is important here: this is a beautiful hotel, but not a stuffy one; they make an effort to make families feel welcome here with things like special menus and Lego room service. But it’s romantic too, with a choice of two restaurants: the family-friendly Castle Bistro and the elegant Art Deco Edwardian Grill, a great spa and the beautiful indoor pool the hotel receives its recommendation for this time.
- Right on the edge of buzzy, picturesque Salcombe, the Salcombe Harbour Hotel is a boutique hotel with seriously gorgeous views over the estuary with its sailing boats to one side and sandy beaches to the other. The hotel’s 50 rooms and suites are arranged so that there are plenty of rooms with a private terrace, and huge public terraces for the bar and the chic restaurant, which also offers cooking classes for kids and adults. The pool is indoor, part of the spa and gym complex.
- Dartmouth’s Dart Marina Hotel is right on the marina, overlooking the River Dart. As well as the great views this hotel also has a luxurious spa and an AA Rosette awarded restaurant. There are 49 rooms, suites and self contained apartments, plus a really elegant indoor pool to go with the spa and its treatment packages. Relaxing, grown-up and romantic!
For Families
- The Thurlestone Hotel is a great family-friendly, 65 room hotel right on the south Devon coast with fantastic views, superb facilities and indoor and outdoor pools. There’s lots to do onsite for families: there’s a croquet lawn, tennis courts, a golf course, surfing and waterskiing on the beach, there’s a kid’s club, a gym and spa, and both indoor and outdoor play areas for the kids. And there’s a really good choice of room sizes and configurations, so you’re bound to find something to suit your family.
- Drive a couple of miles out of Salcombe along the coast and you’ll get to a pretty cove and the Soar Mill Cove Hotel, a family-friendly, 20 room hotel with stunning sea views. As well as standard rooms Soar Mill Cove also has family suites and self-catering units — which share an outdoor hot tub. There’s also a 2 AA Rosette restaurant with a menu heavy on the local seafood, and a gym and indoor pool. The same family has owned and run this hotel for the past 30 years, and you can really feel the care that goes into the place.
Great B&Bs with a Pool
- Bulleigh Barton Manor is a three room B&B a few miles outside Torquay. This is still very much a home, albeit a beautifully appointed one, surrounded by rolling hills just back from the coast, and it has a welcoming feeling, with a cosy lounge and breakfast room. The pool is surrounded by established gardens, and is a nice addition to a very affordable, comfortable B&B.
- Burnville Farm is another charming B&B surrounded by rolling Devon countryside, this time on the western edge of Dartmoor, making it a great choice for walkers and ramblers. There are four, lovely rooms in the main farmhouse, and three self-catering cottages in the grounds, which are ideal for families or groups. And there are beautiful views from many of the rooms and from the pool terrace.
Great Value Devon Hotels with Pools
- The Watersmeet Hotel is a classic seaside hotel which has been operating as such for more than a hundred years: painted white, sitting on a grassy ledge just above the beach — with the pool in between the beach and the hotel, and with views out to sea from almost all of the 25 bedrooms. They go a bit further than the basics though with their 2AA Rosette restaurant serving English classics and their spa, with a steam room and small treatments menu. And to do? All the fun of the seaside, plus a local championship golf course.
- Ilsington Country House is the opposite Devon offering: a quintessentially British country house hotel set amongst the ruggedly beautiful terrain of Dartmoor. The pool is indoor, part of the contemporary spa, which, with the very latest in spa technology, is an indulgent proposition after a day out on the moor. The hotel has 25 rooms, with plenty of charm and great views, and there’s a well regarded restaurant which prides itself on its local, seasonal menu.
If you haven’t found your idea of a great Devon hotel pool on our Guru’s list of 17 you could:
